Why EU Space is an investment in Europe’s future
The European Union has firmly established itself as a global space powerhouse. For proof, one needs to look no further than Galileo, the European Union’s very own Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)...
The European Union has firmly established itself as a global space powerhouse. For proof, one needs to look no further than Galileo, the European Union’s very own Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) system.
Not only does Galileo provide the world’s most accurate and secure positioning and timing information, but Galileo High Accuracy Service is also more precise than any other GNSS, including GPS. Furthermore, with the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA), Galileo is now the only GNSS allowing users to verify the authenticity of its navigation message, ensuring that positioning (and timing) data has not been manipulated, offering an increased resilience against certain types of spoofing.
But Europe’s space prowess is by no means limited to GNSS. Copernicus, the European Earth Observation (EO) programme, offers the world’s most comprehensive EO data, including for environmental monitoring, disaster management and security.
In response to mounting security concerns, the Union has also added secure satellite communications (secure SATCOM) to its space services portfolio. This includes GOVSATCOM. The system aims to provide secure, resilient and cost-efficient satellite communications capabilities to security and safety critical missions and governmental operations managed by the Union and its Member States, including relevant EU Agencies and institutions. The GOVSATCOM Hub is delivering services since January 2026 and is managed by EUSPA, leveraging pooled resources made available by several Member States.
Europe carves out a competitive position within the space sector
Because Europe had the foresight to invest heavily in its space infrastructure, it has been able to carve out a competitive position within the global space sector. This is also true when it comes to the downstream market, which encompasses applications, value added services and user devices enabled by space technology, services and data.
We see in EUSPA’s 2026 Market Report that Europe continues to play a leading role in the global Earth Observation (EO) market, accounting for 42% of worldwide revenues in EO data and services. The continent is particularly strong in EO data insights and decision-support services, where European actors hold more than 60% of the global market share.
In the field of satellite navigation, Europe also retains a significant global presence despite increasing international competition.
All this puts European companies in an envious position to compete within the ever-growing GNSS and EO downstream markets – markets that, according to EUSPA research, are expected to grow substantially. For example, global GNSS revenues are expected to reach more than EUR 580 billion by 2034, according to the EU Space Market Report. European GNSS system integrators continue to play an important role, although the sector has experienced slight pressure due to strong global competition, particularly in the road and automotive market. Global EO revenues will also see strong growth in the next few years, with data revenues rising from EUR 3.5 billion to almost EUR 8 billion in 2034. Overall, the market shows clear signs of several growth opportunities and a competitive European industrial landscape.
And let’s not forget the fast-growing secure SATCOM market. Just looking at the expected operational needs for surveillance, key infrastructure and crisis management stakeholders in Europe, the demand is forecasted to grow from EUR 200 million in 2025 to EUR 1.2 billion by 2040.
Add these numbers up and what you get is a huge opportunity for EU companies and European competitiveness, an opportunity that EUSPA fully intends to leverage.
Supporting space-based companies and innovation
Not only is EUSPA well-known across the industry as a leading source of critical market intelligence, which is regularly relied upon by policymakers, entrepreneurs and major corporations. It also supports industry, SMEs and start-ups, providing funding as well as mentoring, business support and incubation.
As the go-to-source for all things EU Space, EUSPA has played, and continues to play, a big role in supporting space-based companies and innovation from across Europe. For instance, EUSPA offers a wide range of funding opportunities, including the very successful Horizon Europe and Fundamental Elements calls, as well as instruments aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and start-up activities via CASSINI hackathons, innovation prizes and contests.
EUSPA has been directly managing several Horizon Europe calls, with the aim of fostering space-based innovation, developing downstream applications across a variety of market verticals, and supporting the competitiveness of European companies while leveraging synergies among satellite navigation, Earth observation, and secure SATCOM. Our Fundamental Elements initiative is a Research and Innovation funding mechanism designed to support the development of innovative European GNSS chipsets, antennas and receivers that industry would not yet invest in on its own initiative. In doing so, the programme helps accelerate the integration of Galileo and EGNOS into market-ready devices and solutions.
Thanks in part to initiatives like these, EUSPA has built a sizeable ecosystem of start-ups and SMEs, all of whom are leveraging the benefits of EU space data and services. In fact, to date, well over 1000 companies across all EU Member States and beyond have received support from EUSPA, with many evolving into global players.
A continued need to invest in space
While our investments in space technologies and support for space-based companies have established Europe as a competitive player in the global space market, there is no time to rest on our laurels. To maintain our competitive position, we must do more.
A good place to start is to invest in our space infrastructure and its robust services. Here, EUSPA continues to add new services and solutions, such as the Galileo High Accuracy Service, Galileo Search and Rescue Service, and EGNOS Safety of Life Assisted Service for Maritime Users, to name but a few others are in preparation such as the Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service (EWSS) that will broadcast alerts globally, allowing national civil protection authorities to directly transmit to smartphones (or any Galileo-enabled devices) for enhanced emergency response and resilient risk management.
We continue to do more to support the EU companies that depend on these technologies. Equally important, the User Consultation Platform gathers users, industry, and institutional stakeholders to discuss current needs and future opportunities in the EU space downstream applications. In 2026, it’s going to happen in November.
In addition to investing in space companies, space infrastructure and robust service provision, Europe must also invest in the security of its space assets. After all, security is a precondition for sustainable growth, and in today’s era of geopolitical instability, such security cannot be taken for granted.
That’s why the EU has made space a key component in its security and defence, a concept that is enshrined in the EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, which aims to protect Europe’s space assets, defend its interests, deter hostile activities in space and strengthen its strategic posture and autonomy. It is also the driving force behind the EU’s investment in such new, security-oriented space infrastructure as the GOVSATCOM, IRIS2 and Space Situational Awareness programme components.
As the security gatekeeper of the EU Space Programme, EUSPA is taking steps to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data and services these programmes provide.
Futureproofing Europe’s global competitiveness
With a comprehensive portfolio of solutions that includes everything from Earth Observation to Satellite Navigation, from Space Situational Awareness to Secure Satellite Communications, the EU Space Programme has proven to be a key enabler of European competitiveness.
But, as Europe’s challenges continue to evolve, so too must the EU Space Programme.
By continuing to invest in our space technologies and in the security of those assets, as well as in the companies and projects that depend on them, Europe is not only driving this evolution, but in doing so, it’s helping futureproof Europe’s global competitiveness and EUSPA is a key factor in this.
